He was born Antonio Pierozzi (also called de Forciglioni) on 1 March 1389 in the city of Florence, then capital of an independent Republic, to Niccolò and Tomasina Pierozzi, prominent citizens of the city, Niccolò being a notary. The young Anthony was received into the Dominican Order in 1405 at the age of sixteen at the new priory of the Order in Fiesole and given the religious habit by...

Jeremiah was the son of Hilkiah, a kohen (Jewish priest) from the Benjamite village of Anathoth. The difficulties he encountered, as described in the books of Jeremiah and Lamentations, have prompted scholars to refer to him as "the weeping prophet". Jeremiah was called to prophetic ministry c. 626 BC. Jeremiah was called by God to give prophecy of Jerusalem's destruction that...

St. Catherine of Siena (1347–1380) was born in Siena, Italy, the 24th of 25 children born to a wealthy wool dyer and his wife. Catherine began having profound mystical experiences at the age of six which encouraged her in a life of virtue, extreme penance, and total consecration to God through a private vow of virginity. She became a Dominican Tertiary at the age of 16 while continuing...

St. Peter was the first martyr of Oceania. He was born at Cluet, France, to a peasant family and was ordained a priest in 1827. After serving for a time in a simple parish, he entered the Society of Mary (Marist Fathers) in 1831 and was dispatched as a missionary to the Pacific. While in the Marshall Islands, he was murdered by a local chieftain. He was canonized in 1954 by Pope Pius...